Autonomous multi-platform robot system

• US 20030212472A1
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: McKee, Robert Nolan
• Granted Patent: US 6,836,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

An autonomous multi-platform robot system (100, 1100) for performing at least one functional task in an environment is provided. The system includes at least one navigator platform (110, 1110) providing mapping, localization, planning and control functions for itself and at least one other platform within the environment and at least one functional robot platform (120, 1120) in communication with one or more navigator platforms for performing one or more functional tasks. In one embodiment, one or more navigator platforms (1110) are stationary and include sensors (202) for sensing information about the environment. In another embodiment, one or more functional robot platforms (1120) include sensors (304) for sending information about the environment. In still another embodiment, the system includes one or more stationary platforms (124) with sensors (310) for sensing information about the environment.

Claims

1. An autonomous multi-platform robot system (100, 1110) for performing at least one functional task in an environment, the system including:

at least one functional robot platform (1120);

at least one navigator platform (110, 1110) providing mapping, localization, planning, and control functions for itself and said at least one functional robot platform; and

wherein said at least one functional robot platform (1120) senses information about the environment and communicates such information to said at least one navigator platform.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one navigator platform includes:

a receiver (222) for receiving communications, including environmental data from the at least one functional robot platform;

a controller (204) in communication with the receiver for providing mapping, localization, planning, and control processes for the navigator platform and the at least one functional robot platform; and

a transmitter (208) in communication with the controller for transmitting control signals and other communications to the at least one functional robot platform within the environment.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the at least one navigator platform further includes:

drive means (210, 212, 214) in communication with the controller for moving the navigator platform around within the environment.

4. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the at least one navigator platform (1110) is stationary.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one functional robot platform includes:

a receiver (302) for receiving control signals and other communications from the at least one navigator platform;

drive means (404, 406, 408) for moving the at least one functional robot platform around within the environment;

at least one sensor (302) for sensing information about the environment;

a controller (410) in communication with the receiver, drive means, and sensor(s) for controlling the drive means and sensor(s) in response to control signals; and

a transmitter (306) in communication with the controller for transmitting environmental data and other communications to the at least one navigator platforms within the environment.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the at least one functional robot platform also performs at least one functional task.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including:

at least one stationary sensor platform (124) in communication with the at least one navigator platforms for sensing information about the environment.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the at least one stationary sensor platform includes:

a receiver (312) for receiving control signals and other communications from the at least one navigator platform;

at least one sensor (310) for sensing information about the environment;

a controller (504) in communication with the receiver and sensor(s) for controlling the at least one sensor in response to the control signals; and

a transmitter (314) in communication with the controller for transmitting environmental data and other communications to the at least one navigator platform.

9. A multi-platform robot system (100, 1100) for performing functional tasks in an environment, the system including:

a functional robot platform (120, 1120);

a navigator platform (110, 1110) providing mapping, localization, planning, and control functions for itself and said functional robot platform;

wherein the functional robot platform (120, 1120) is in communication with the navigator platform for performing one or more functional tasks; and

a stationary sensor platform (124) in communication with the navigator platform for sensing information about the environment.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, the navigator platform including:

a receiver (222) for receiving communications from the functional robot platform and the stationary sensor platform, including environmental data from the functional robot platform;

a controller (204) in communication with the receiver for providing mapping, localization, planning, and control processes for the navigator platform and the functional robot platform and the stationary sensor platform; and

a transmitter (208) in communication with the controller for transmitting control signals and other communications to the functional robot platform and the stationary sensor platform.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10, the navigator platform further including:

drive means (210, 212, 214) in communication with the controller for moving the navigator platform around within the environment.

12. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the navigator platform (1110) is stationary.

13. The system as set forth in claim 9, functional robot platform including:

a receiver (302) for receiving control signals and other communications from the navigator platform within the environment; and

drive means (404, 406, 408) for moving the functional robot platform around within the environment in response to the control signals.

14. The system as set forth in claim 9, stationary sensor platform including:

a receiver (312) for receiving control signals and other communications from the navigator platform within the environment;

at least one sensor (310) for sensing information about the environment;

a controller (504) in communication with the receiver and sensor(s) for controlling the sensor(s) in response to the control signals; and

a transmitter (314) for transmitting environmental data and other communications to the navigator platform.

15. A robot system (1100) for performing one or more functional tasks in an environment, the system including:

at least one functional robot platform (120, 1120) for performing the functional task(s);

at least one stationary navigator platform (1110) in communication with the at least one functional robot platform for sensing information about the environment and providing mapping, localization, planning, and control functions for itself; and

wherein said at least one navigator platform provides mapping, localization, planning and control functions for the at least one functional robot platform.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15, at least one navigator platform including:

at least one sensor (202) for sensing information about the environment;

a controller (204) in communication with the sensor(s) for providing mapping, localization, planning, and control processes for the navigator platform and other platforms within the environment; and

a transmitter (208) in communication with the controller for transmitting control signals and other communications to one or more other platforms within the environment.

17. The system as set forth in claim 15, at least one functional robot platform including:

a receiver (302) for receiving control signals and other communications from one or more navigator platforms within the environment; and

drive means (404, 406, 408) for moving the at least one functional robot platform around within the environment in response to the control signals.

18. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein at least one functional robot platform (1120) is also for sensing information about the environment.

19. The system as set forth in claim 18, the at least one functional robot platform for sensing information about the environment further including:

a receiver (302) for receiving control signals and other communications from one or more navigator platforms within the environment;

drive means (404, 406, 408) for moving the at least one functional robot platform for sensing information about the environment around within the environment;

at least one sensor (304) for sensing information about the environment;

a controller (410) in communication with the receiver, drive means, and sensor(s) for controlling the drive means and sensor(s) in response to the control signals; and

a transmitter (306) in communication with the controller for transmitting environmental data and other communications to one or more navigator platforms within the environment.

20. The system as set forth in claim 15, further including:

at least one stationary sensor platform (124) in communication with one or more navigator platforms for sensing information about the environment.

21. The system as set forth in claim 20, the at least one stationary sensor platform including:

a receiver (312) for receiving control signals and other communications from one or more navigator platforms within the environment;

at least one sensor (310) for sensing information about the environment;

a controller (504) in communication with the receiver and sensor(s) for controlling the sensor(s) in response to the control signals; and

a transmitter (314) for transmitting environmental data and other communications to one or more navigator platforms within the environment.

22. The system as set forth in claim 15, further including:

at least one mobile navigator platform (110) in communication with at least one other platform for providing mapping, localization, planning, and control functions for itself and at least one other platform within the environment.

23. The system as set forth in claim 22, the mobile navigator platform including:

a receiver (222) for receiving communications from other platforms within the environment, including environmental data from at least one of one or more functional robot platforms and one or more stationary sensor platforms;

drive means (210, 212, 214) for moving the mobile navigator platform around within the environment;

a controller (204) in communication with the receiver and drive means for providing mapping, localization, planning, and control processes for the navigator platform and other platforms within the environment; and

a transmitter (208) in communication with the controller for transmitting control signals and other communications to other platforms within the environment.